e>. 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


I.I 


1^  ^  mil  2.2 


■UUi- 

IIIIM 

11.25  11.4   11.6 


<? 


^ 


^ 


/2 


Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


•y 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


■-?* 


s'  M 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


m^mm 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


0 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


I      I    Covers  damaged/ 


D 
D 


D 


D 
D 


D 


Couverture  endommagde 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaur6e  et/ou  pellicul6e 

Cover  title  missing/ 

Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


I      I    Coloured  maps/ 


Cartes  g^ographiques  en  couleur 


Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 


□    Coloured  plates  and/or  Illustrations/ 
Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 


D 


Bound  with  other  material/ 
Reli6  avec  d'autres  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  reliure  serr^e  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  intSrieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajoutdes 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  dtait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  6t6  filmdes. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  suppl6mentaires; 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  6t6  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cat  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-dtre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  m^thode  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiqu6s  ci-dessous. 


I      I    Coloured  pages/ 


D 
D 


Pages  de  couleur 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagdes 

Pages  restored  and/oi 

Pages  restaur^es  et/ou  pellicul^es 

Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxei 
Pages  ddcolor^es,  tachetdes  ou  piqu6es 

Pages  detached/ 
Pages  d6tach6es 

Showthrough/ 
Transparence 

Quality  of  prir 

Qualitd  indgale  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  materii 
Comprend  du  materiel  supplementaire 


I — I  Pages  damaged/ 

I — I  Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 

I — I  Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 

I      I  Pages  detached/ 

I      I  Showthrough/ 

[      I  Quality  of  print  varies/ 

I      I  Includes  supplementary  material/ 


Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 

Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  6t6  film6es  d  nouveau  de  fagon  d 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  film6  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqu6  ci-dessous. 

10X  14X  18X  22X 


12X 


16X 


20X 


26X 


30X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


e 

6tails 
18  du 
nodifier 
ir  une 
ilmage 


The  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

Library  of  Congress 
Photoduplication  Service 

The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


L'exomplaire  film*  fut  reproduit  grdce  d  la 
gAnArositA  de: 

Library  of  Congress 
Photoduplication  Service 

Les  images  suivantes  ont  6x6  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compta  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
da  la  nattetA  da  raxempiaire  film6,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 


9S 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  Impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  Ail 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  •—^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Las  examplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimAe  sont  film^s  en  commenpant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
derniire  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'imprassion  ou  d'illustration.  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  salon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  filmAs  en  commenpant  par  la 
pramiAro  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'imprassion  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  darniAra  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaTtra  sur  la 
dernidra  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  — ^  signifle  "A  SUIVRE  ".  le 
symbole  V  signifie  "FIN". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  dtre 
filmte  A  des  taux  de  rMuction  diff6rents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  Atre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  cliche.  11  est  film6  d  partir 
de  Tangle  sup6rieur  gauche,  de  gauche  A  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  nAcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  m^thode. 


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2 

3 

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4 

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A  LONG  LOST  POINT  IN  HISTORY. 


■'<  ■!?•'■■ 


AN  ADDRESS, 


DELIVERED   BEFOBE  THE 


ONEIDA  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY, 


,»*. 


VTiCA,ii.Y„-^.'s^:y.:y} :; 


BY  L.  W.  LED  YARD,  ESQ.. 


'jh 


,^^F  CA2ENOVIA,  N.  Y. 


."S-i^"''' 


JANUARY   9,  1883. 


.  ''X- 


UTICA,  N.  Y. : 
ONEIDA    HISTORICAL    SOCIETY. 
1883.       , 


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A  LONG  LOST  POINT  IN  HISTORY. 


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AN  ADDRESS, 


nEI.IVERED   BEFORE  THE 


ONEIDA  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY, 


UTICA,  N.  Y., 

BY  L  Wf LEDYARD,  ESa, 


OF  CAZENOVIA,  N.  Y. 


JANUARY    9     1883. 


PUBLISHED    BY    REQUEST. 


UTICA,  N.Y.: 
T  H    FLOYD.  PRINTER.  CORNER  BROAD  AND  JOHN  STREETS. 

1883. 


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A  LONG  LOST  POINT  IN  HISTORY. 


How  few  of  the  denizens  of  this  busy  city,  hastening  on  after 
the  manner  of  our  times,  give  a  passing  thought  to  the  past  of 
this  land  now  so  fair.  Looking  over  the  broad  valley  that  the 
Mohawk  has  worn  away  in  geological  periods,  and  later  filled  and 
made  fertile  with  the  rich  soils  stolen  from  the  hills  and  borne 
silently  year  after  year  to  the  lowland,  it  is  not  easy  to  realize 
that  it  was  ever  other  than  the  fair  scene  it  now  offers  to  charm 
and  interest  the  thoughtful  observer.  Charming  indeed,  with 
broad  play  of  light  and  shadow  falling  here  upon  a  bit  of  wood- 
land, there  upon  golden  grain  ;  with  deep  ravines  hiding  lovely 
nooks  where  alone  ferns  and  mosses  with  their  graceful  forest 
kind  live  on  when  driven  from  the  lands  they  once  made  beautiful ; 
with  bold  high  hills  making  one  beyond  another,  sky  lines  of 
•wondrous  beauty ;  and  with  now  and  then  a  glimpse  of  water 
that  in  turn  steals  for  itself  the  beauties  of  the  overhanging  forest, 
and  the  tints  of  the  azure,  or  the  golden  sunset  sky.  Interesting 
indeed,  with  the  whirl  and  beat  of  human  progress ;  as  seen  in 
the  white  plumed  train,  the  towering  factory,  and  the  many  evi- 
dences that  eager,  restless  hands  are  busy,  changing,  moulding, 
perchance  improving,  the   valley  and  surrounding  slopes 

All  this  fills  the  mind  ;  through  so  vivid  a  present  the  past  is 
seen  but  dimly  if  at  all,  yet  in  the  developments  th;  >Jf^h  which 
we  may  trace  the  story  of  human  changes,  few  lands  '  '•csent  so 
much  to  startle  the  student,  could  he  dream  that  the  past  was  a 
lesson  to  be  repeated  in  the  future. 

If  we  could  bring  ourselves  to  imagine  that  all  our  surround- 
ings, our  race,  our  homes,  and  our  inherited  customs,  were  to  be 
swept  away  like  shadows,  in  hardly  more  than  a  lifetime,  all  to  be 
replaced  by  men  of  strange  and  unknown  traits,  possessing  pow- 
ers to  us  undreamed  of,  we  would  not  more  than  realize  the  simple 
story  of  the  white  invasion  of  America.  Yet  here  this  magical 
result  has  followed  the  occupation  of  our  race  as  it  has  flowed  in 
like  a  tide  ;  full  of  the  vigor,  power  and  intelligence  that  are  our 
inheritance  from  generations  of  bold,  adventurous,  skillful  men^ 
and  this  tide  has  been  so  widely  and  overwhelmingly  superior  in 


:',;■ 


J    t 


--    ij<ll>irtniflM>tlliuwpiWil"iWWll«t»l»«»l*'r;- 


.^^ 


customs,  ideas  and  aims,  to  the  original  occupant  of  the  land,  that 
mingling  was  impossible.  No  progress  or  elevation  could  so 
change  the  American  Indian  as  to  enable  him  to  act  with  the  new 
and  impatient  race;  so  despite  muscles  like  steel,  the  vigor  and  en- 
durance of  animals,  and  the  undaunted  courage  of  warrior  blood, 
they  have  gone  before  the  man  of  broader  brain  and  his  works, 
like  autumn  leaves  before  a  gale,  until  almost  as  a  winter's  snow 
gives  place  to  the  spring  verdure,  has  all  the  face  of  nature  about 
us  yielded  to  the  white  man's  changing  hand. 

The  story  of  a  century  here  in  Central  New  York,  is  the  history 
from  the  pioneer  to  the  finished  city  ;  back  of  that  where  are  we, 
and  how  in  our  minds  shall  we  picture  the  scenes  now  so  familiar 
and  attractive  ?  Our  lakes  were  then  the  mirrors  of  a  wild  beauty, 
surrounded  by  a  forest  primeval. 

But  where  are  the  hearts  that  beneath  it, 
Leaped  like  the  roe,  when  he  hears  in  the  woodland 
The  voice  of  the  huntsman? 

Where  indeed?  Linger  here  and  there  by  little  pits,  slightly 
sunken  amid  gnarled  roots,  that  long  have  interlaced  since  with 
rude  stone  tools,  groups  of  dusky  figures  have  given  back  to  earth 
one  by  one  their  numbers,  and  there  marked  only  by  a  little 
brighter  green,  or  a  growth  slightly  varied  from  the  woodland 
carpet,  they  rest,  pressed  by  feet  of  a  race  by  them  unknown  and 
unimagined. 

Looking  again  in  retrospect,  we  find  little  to  claim  as  known 
with  certainty,  and  from  signs  that  many  pass  unheeded,  and  from 
vague  traditions  alone,  are  we  left  to  unravel  from  the  past,  slight 
threads  of  history.  Comparative  ethnology  is  collecting  a  vast 
array  of  information  bearing  upon  the  earlier  races  of  America, 
but  the  chief  results  are  the  undermining  of  old  theories,  while 
no  structures  that  bid  fair  to  endure  are  built  as  yet  from  the  dis- 
turbed material. 

In  the  so  called  old  world,  there  were  many  centuries  in  each  of 
the  retrograde  aspects  of  civilization.  Going  backward  from 
what  we  may  now  term  the  electric  age,  electric  in  mental  as  well 
as  material  character,  we  find  the  steel,  the  iron,  and  the  bronze 
ages,  all  more  or  less  fully  included  in  the  realms  of  written  his- 
tory,'and  surrounded  by  as  much  of  certainty  as  may  be  attested 
by  the  pens  of  periods  full  of  ignorance,  superstition  and  preju- 
dice;  but  beyond  them,  in  regarding  the  ages  of  bone,  flint  and 
stone,  we  pass  to  unrecorded  times,  and  are  left  to  the  resources 


l_. 


'■*1 


he  land,  that 
)n  could  so 
vith  the  new 
Mgor  and  en- 
irrior  blood, 
I  his  works, 
inter's  snow 
lature  about 

s  the  history 
here  are  we, 
w  so  familiar 
wild  beauty. 


pits,  slightly 
i  since  with 
back  to  earth 
by  a  little 
le  woodland 
inknown  and 

m  as  known 
ded,  and  from 
iie  past,  slight 
ecting  a  vast 
;  of  America, 
heories,  while 
from  the  dis- 

ries  in  each  of 
ickward  from 
mental  as  well 
id  the  bronze 
of  written  his- 
ay  be  attested 
on  and  preju- 
bone,  flint  and 
the  resources 


of  speculation,  aided  by  such  knowledge  as  may  be  brought  to 
bear  from  a  study  of  the  races  now  in  their  rude  periods  of  flint 
and  stone. 

In  America,  the  European  invader  of  the  iron  age,  came  face 
to  face  with  a  people  still  in  the  stone  age ;  a  period  so  far  hid- 
den in  the  European  past  as  to  be  considered  only  in  the  studies 
of  archaeologists,  when  aroused  by  such  discoveries  as  those  of 
the  Swiss  Lakes,  the  Bone  Caves,  and  the  Rhone  Gravel  Beds; 
and  not  only  are  we  called  upon  to  regard  the  meeting  of  varied 
races,  but  the  simultaneous  existence  of  two  conditions  of  human 
progress,  so  different,  that  when  regarded  in  the  light  of  the 
changes  developed  in  producing  the  civilization  of  Europe,  they 
are  seen  to  represent  the  forward  impulse  that  has  required  many 
centuries,  or  more  probably,  some  thousands  of  years,  in  reaching 
the  era  that  came  with  the  adventurous  Frenchman,  the  stubborn 
Puritan,  and  the  treasure-seeking  Spaniard. 

Knowing  that  our  race  has  evolved  the  steam  giant  from  the 
spark  accidentally  produced  from  two  flints,  or  from  the  hint  of 
friction  in  chaffing  branches ;  the  steamship  from  perchance  a 
floating  leaf;  the  column-surrounded  temple  from  the  tree  stem, 
the  gothic  cathedral  from  its  branches  ;  a  ball  dress  from  the  sim- 
ple decoration  of  a  goat  skin ;  ceramics,  with  a  K,  from  a  river 
worn  stone ;  the  telegraph  and  electric  light  from  early  but  peril- 
ous experiments  with  a  cat's  back  ;  and  all  our  myriad  multipli- 
city of  never  to  be  satisfied  needs,  from  a  few  simple  animal  re- 
quirements, we  cannot  refrain  from  speculating  as  to  how  far  the 
native  Indian  if  he  had  possessed  this  wonderful  continent  undis- 
turbed, would  have  progressed.  As  ages  passed  would  his  eye 
have  become  thoughtful,  his  brow  broadened,  and  his  hand  train- 
ed to  new  and  complex  acts? 

He  knew  the  use  of  fire,  he  cooked  his  food  with  hot  stones, 
and  burned  rude  pottery,  that  is  found  in  such  abundant  frag- 
ments as  to  suggest  the  existence  of  a  pre  historic  domestic  of  the 
tribe  that  make,  but  do  not  speak,  broken  China. 

His  implements  were  of  flint,  stone  and  bone,  possibly  but  not 
probably  of  copper.  Bronze  and  iron,  the  first  sources  of  new  pow- 
ers he  had  not  achieved,  yet  he  constructed  a  canoe  of  such 
beauty  and  perfection,  that  grace  and  swiftness  are  associated  with 
the  name  ;  he  cut  away  with  fire,  and  his  stone  axe  the  forest,  and 
with  shells  and  sticks  hardened  in  fire,  made  plantations  of  corn, 
and  considerable  earthworks. 


if 


Il 


His  mind  had  formed  a  religion  of  marked  and  encouraRing 
promise;  in  talc,  legend,  tradition  and  allegory,  facts  and  fancies 
were  deftly  woven.  But  it  will  never  be  known  how  far  the  usual 
onward  steps  would  have  been  taken  by  the  red  man,  had  the 
mariner's  compass  never  guided  a  new  civilization  to  overwhelm 
him  with  the  forces  wrested  from  nature  by  brain  power. 

We  cannot  tell  whether  he  would  have  hunted  on  under  the 
universal  woodland,  and  camped  by  rivers  free  from  new  imoulses; 
or  whether  in  time  he  would  have  found  the  metals  under  the 
forest  mosses  ;  have  set  to  work  the  wind  sighing  in  the  pine  tops, 
the  stream  bubbling  in  the  fcrnclad  ravine,  and  the  tide  in  its 
ebb  and  flow, — if  the  mill  would  have  replaced  the  stone  pestle ; 
the  wheel  and  axle  the  weary  back,  not  of  his  noble  self,  but  of 
his  squaw ;  the  roadway  have  followed  the  forest  trail,  and  broad 
fields  have  been  opened  to  the  summer  sun. 

As  far  as  recent  impressions  are  founded  on  wide  investigation 
they  do  not  encourage  the  belief  that  the  Indian  found  in  the 
eastern  part  of  the  North  was  progressive,  but  rather  lead  to  the 
opinion  that  a  more  advanced  race  had  preceded  him,  especially 
in  the  section  west  of  us.  In  the  western  part  of  our  State  the 
remains  of  the  Mound  Building  races  commence,  and  are  contin- 
uously followed,  with  few  marked  breaks  in  the  chain,  to  the  re- 
markable  mounds  and  teocalli  of  Mexico  and  Central  Africa. 
These  were  evidently  built  with  more  and  more  skill  and  labor 
as  they  near  the  South, — sod  banks  are  replaced  by  rough  stone, 
rough  stone  by  cut  stones  of  massive  form,  and  they  assume  more 
and  more  size  and  mechanical  perfection.  It  is  suggested  that 
they  were  made  by  a  race  moving  slowly  along  their  course,  either 
southwesfeward  with  increasing  skill,  wealth  and  power,  or  the  re- 
verse, with  diminished  numbers  and  lessened  capacity  to  concen- 
trate labor. 

There  are  other  indications  that  a  race  more  like  the  Eskimo, 
with  similar  use  of  bones,  stone  and  flint,  were  earlier  occupants  of 
the  section  between  the  lower  lakes  and  the  coast,  and  that  they 
retreated  northward,  perhaps  following  the  changes  of  climate 
that  are  evidenced  by  unmistakable  marks  on  all  the  rocky  sum- 
mits about  us;  but  more  must  be  woven  from  threads  traced  here 
and  there,  some  strong,  others  slender,  before  we  can  say  any 
positive  words  of  the  men  who  in  human  strata  underlaid  race  by 
race  the  red  man  found  in  undisputed  occupation  of  our  hills  and 
valleys. 


^ 


ncourafjing 
nd  fancies 
;ir  the  usual 
1,  had  the 
overwhelm 
,'er. 

under  the 
w  imoulses; 

under  the 
e  pine  tops, 
tide  in  its 
Dne  pestle  ; 
elf,   but   of 

and  broad 

ivestigation 
jnd  in  the 
lead  to  the 
I,  especially 
ir  State  the 
1  are  contin- 
1,  to  the  re- 
tral  Africa. 
1  and  labor 
ough  stone, 
ssume  more 
;gested  that 
ourse,  either 
:r,  or  the  re- 
Y  to  concen- 

he  Eskimo, 
Dccupantsof 
id  that  they 
of  climate 
rocky  sum- 
traced  here 
an  say  any 
rlaid  race  by 
3ur  hills  and 


But  we  are  wandering  away  from  the  "lost  point  in  history," 
that  it  has  been  the  main  purpose  of  this  paper  to  consider.  It 
is  the  long  in-doubt  location  of  the  Indian  encampment  and  fort 
that  was  the  objective  point  in  the  expedition  of  the  French  in- 
vader Champlain,  in  1615,  two  hundred  and  sixty-seven  years  ago, 
the  earliest  recorded  event  of  Central  New  York,  being  six  years 
after  the  attempt  of  the  same  explorer  to  follow  the  water  ways 
of  Lake  Champlain,  and  five  years  before  the  landing  on  Ply- 
mouth Rock. 

From  a  careful  translation  of  Champlain's  Journal,  published  in 
volume  three  of  the  Documentary  History  of  New  York,  we  will 
read  the  parts  describing  in  his  own  words  his  disastrous  and  adven- 
turous  expedition  into  a  vast  and  unknown  woodland,  filled  with 
savages  of  courageous  character.  The  time  at  which  his  narra- 
tive is  here  taken  up,  was  in  September,  1615.  His  army  consist- 
ed of  Northern  Indians  and  a  few  French  Arquebuseiers,  with  their 
clumsy  weapons,  (which  were,  however,  very  alarming,  and  some- 
times effective  in  the  contests  in  which  arrows  and  stones  were  the 
other  means  of  attack  and  defence  ;)  and  they  were  among  the 
islands  at  the  east  end  of  Lake  Ontario.  His  story  of  their  pro- 
gress,  is  as  follows  : 

"We  continued  along  the  border  of  the  Lake  of  the  Entouhon- 
orons,  always  hunting;  being  there,  we  crossed  over  at  one  of  the 
extremities,  tending  eastward,  which  is  the  beginning  of  the  River 
St.  Lawrence,  in  the  parallel  of  forty-three  degrees  of  latitude. 
There  are  some  beautiful  and  very  large  islands  in  this  passage. 
We  made  about  fourteen  leagues,  (fifty-six  miles,)  to  cross  to  the 
other  side  of  the  Lake,  proceeding  southward,  toward  the  enemy's 
country.  The  Indians  concealed  all  their  canoes  in  the  woods 
near  the  bank.  We  travelled  by  land  about  four  leagues  over  a 
grassy  plain,  where  I  observed  a  very  pleasing  and  fine  country, 
watered  by  numerous  small  streams,  and  two  little  rivers  which 
empty  into  said  Lake,  and  a  number  of  ponds  and  prairies,  where 
there  was  an  infinite  quantity  of  game,  a  great  many  vines  and 
fine  trees,  vast  numbers  of  chestnuts,  the  fruit  of  which  was  yet  in 
the  shell.     It  is  quite  small  but  well  flavored. 

"All  the  canoes  being  thus  concealed,  we  left  the  bank  of  the 
Lake,  which  is  eighty  leagues  long  and  twenty-five  wide.  It  is  in- 
habited for  the  greater  part  by  savages,  along  the  sides  of  the 
streams,  and  we  continued  our  journey  overland  some  twenty-five 
or  thirty  leagues.  In  the  course  of  four  days  we  traversed  a  num- 
ber of  streams  and  one  river  issuing  from  a  lake  which  empties 


H 


'!:4 


ttawwbJBMWiiiwiiiaWif'.i'W.'w 


ji«il>w#"1iVtf»Vi^Wn'<^'"^i^- 


8 

into  that  of  the  Entouhonorons.  This  Lake  is  twenty-five  to 
thirty  leagues  in  circumference,  with  many  beautiful  islands,  and 
is  the  Iroquois  fishing  ground,  fish  being  in  abundance  there. 

"The  9th  of  October,  our  Indians  going  out  scouting,  encounter- 
ed eleven  savages,  whom  they  took  prisoners  ;  to  wit,  four  women, 
three  boys,  one  girl,  and  three  men,  who  were  going  fishing,  four 
leagues  distant  from  the  enemy's  fort.  Now  it  is  to  be  noted  that 
one  of  the  Chiefs  seeing  these  prisoners,  cut  the  finger  off  one  of 
those  poor  women,  as  the  commencement  of  their  usual  tortures. 
Whereupon  I  interfered,  and  censured  the  Iroquois  captain,  repre- 
senting to  him  that  a  warrior,  as  he  called  himself,  was  not  in  the 
habit  of  acting  cruelly  towards  women,  who  have  no  defence  but 
their  tears,  and  who,  by  reason  of  their  helplessness  and  feeble- 
ness, ought  to  be  treated  with  humanity.  That  on  the  contrary, 
this  act  would  be  supposed  to  proceed  from  a  vile  and  brutal 
courage,  and  that  if  he  committed  any  more  of  those  cruelties,  he 
would  not  encourage  me  to  assist  them,  nor  to  favor  their  war. 
Whereupon  he  replied  that  their  enemies  treated  them  in  the 
same  manner.  But  since  such  customs  displeased  me,  he  would 
not  act  so  any  more  to  women,  but  exclusively  to  men, 

"Next  day,  at  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  we  arrived  before 
the  enemy's  fort,  where  the  savages  had  some  skirmishes,  the  one 
against  the  other,  though  it  was  not  our  design  to  discover  our- 
selves until  the  morrow  ;  but  the  impatience  of  our  savages  would 
not  brook  this,  as  well  through  the  desire  they  felt  to  see  us  fire 
on  their  enemies,  as  to  liberate  some  of  their  men  who  had  ven- 
tured too  far.  Then  I  advanced  and  presented  myself,  but  with 
the  few  men  I  had  ;  nevertheless,  I  showed  them  what  they  had 
never  saw  nor  heard  before,  for  as  soon  as  they  saw  us,  and  heard 
the  reports  of  the  arquebuses,  and  the  balls  whistling  about  their 
ears,  they  retired  promptly  within  their  fort,  carrying  off  their 
wounded  and  dead  ;  and  we  retreated  in  like  manner  to  our  main 
body,  with  five  or  six  of  our  wounded,  one  of  whom  died. 

"This  being  done,  we  retired  within  gun-shot,  beyond  the  view 
of  the  enemy,  contrary,  however,  to  my  advice,  and  to  what  they 
had  promised  me,  which  moved  me  to  make  use  of  and  express  to 
them  pretty  rude  and  angry  words,  in  order  to  incite  them  to 
their  duty  foreseeing,  that  if  everything  went  according  to  their 
tantasy,  and  counsel,  nothing  but  misfortune  would  result,  to  their 
ruin  and  destruction.  Nevertheless,  I  failed  not  to  send  to  them 
and  to  propose  means  necessary  to  be   used   to  overcome  their 


/enty-five  to 
islands,  and 
;e  there. 

g,  encounter- 
four  women, 
fishing,  four 
36  noted  that 
er  oH  one  of 
iual  tortures, 
aptain,  repre- 
vas  not  in  the 
I  defence  but 
and    feeble- 
the  contrary, 
;   and   brutal 
;e  cruelties,  he 
sr  their   war. 
them   in  the 
le,  he   would 
len, 

irrived  before 
ishes,  the  one 
discover  our- 
savages  would 
to  see  us  fire 
vho  had  ven- 
self,  but  with 
hat  they  had 
■  us,  and  heard 
ng  about  their 
^ing  oH  their 
er  to  our  main 
n  died. 

yond  the  view 
d  to  what  they 

and  express  to 
icite  them  to 
irding  to  their 

result,  to  their 
5  send  to  them 
jvercome  their 


i: 


V 


9 

enemies  ;  which  was,  to  construct  a  movable  tower  of  timber  to 
overlook  their  pickets,  whereupon  I  should  perch  four  or  five  of 
our  arquebussiers,  who  would  fire  over  the  palisades  and  galleries, 
which  were  well  supplied  with  stones,  and  by  this  means,  the  ene- 
my who  annoyed  us  from  their  galleries,  would  be  dislodged ; 
and  in  the  meantime,  we  should  give  orders  for  some  boards  to 
form  a  species  of  parapet  to  cover  and  protect  our  men  from  the 
arrows  and  stones. 

"These  things,  namely,  the  tower  and  parapets,  could  be  moved 
by  main  force  ;  and  one  was  made  in  such  a  way  that  water  could 
not  extinguish  the  fire  to  be  applied  to  the  front  of  the  fort;  and 
those  on  the  tower  could  do  their  duty  with  some  arquebussiers 
posted  there,  and  thus  acting,  we  should  so  defend  ourselves  that 
they  could  not  approach  to  extinguish  the  fire,  that  we  should 
apply  to  their  pickets.  Approving  this,  they  began  next  morn, 
ing  to  construct  and  prepare  said  tower  and  parapets;  and  made 
such  progress  that  these  were  finished  in  less  than  four  hours. 

"They  were  expecting  the  arrival  this  day  of  the  five  hundred  men 
that  had  been  promised,  which  was,  however,  doubtful ;  not  being 
at  the  rendezvous,  as  directed,  and   as  they   had   promised,  our 
savages  were  much  afflicted.     But  seeing  that  they  were   numer- 
ous enough  to  capture  the  forts,  and  for  my  part,  considering  de- 
lay to  be  always  prejudicial,  at  least  in  most  cases,  I  urged  them 
to  attack  said  fort,  representing  that  the  enemy,  discovering  their 
strength  and  the  effect  of  our  arms,  which  pierced  what  was  arrow- 
proof,  would  barricade  and  shelter  themselves,  which  indeed,  they 
did  very  well,  for  their  village  was  enclosed  with  strong  quadruple 
palisades  of  large  timber,  thirty  feet   high,   interlocked   the   one 
with  the  other,  with  an  interval  of  not  more  than  half  a  foot  be- 
tween them  ;  with  galleries  in  the  form  of  parapets,  defended  with 
double  pieces  of  timber,  proof  against  our  arquebuses,  and  on  one 
side  they  had  a  pond  with  a  never  failing  supply  of  water,  from 
which  proceeded  a  number  of  gutters  which  they  had  laid   along 
the  intermediate  space,  throwing  the  water  without,  and  rendered 
it  effectual  inside,  for  the  purpose  of  extinguishing  fire. 

"Such  was  their  mode  of  fortification  and  defence,  which  was 
much  stronger  than  the  villages  of  the  Hurons,  and  others. 

"We  advanced  then  to  attack  the  village ;  causing  our  tower  to 
be  carried  by  two  hundred  of  our  strongest  men,  they  placed  it 
within  a  pike's  length  in  front  and  I  posted  on  it  four  arquebus- 
siers, all  sheltered  from  any  arrows  and  stones  that  might  have 


10 

been  shot  at  them.     Nevertheless,  the  enemy  did  not,  for  all  that, 
cease  tlischarging  and  throwing  a  great  number   of   arrows   and 
stones  over  their  pickets,  but  themultitudeof  arquebus  shots  that 
were  fired,  constrained  them  to  vacate  and  abandon  their  galleries. 
"But  according  as  the  tower  was  moved,  instead  of  bringing  the 
parapets  as  ordered,  and  that  on  which  we  were  to   have   placed 
the  fire,  they  abandoned  them  and  commenced   to   yell   against 
their  enemies,  shooting  arrows  within  the  fort,  which,  in  my  opin- 
ion, did  not  do  much  execution.     They  are   very   excusable,  for 
they  are  not  soldiers,  and  are  moreover  averse  to  discipline  or  cor- 
rection, and  do  only  what  they  like.     Wherefore,   one   inconsid- 
erately  applied  the  fire  to  the  wrong  side  of  the   fort,  or  to  lee- 
ward, so  that  it  produced  no  effect.     On  the  fire  being  kindled, 
the  most  of  the  savages  began  to  set  wood  against  the  pickets,  but 
in  such  small  quantities  that  the  fire  did   not  much   good.     The 
disorder  that  supervened,  was  in  consequence  so  great  that  it  was 
impossible  to  hear.     In  vain  I  cried  to  them  and  remonstrated  as 
well  as  I  was  able  against  the  imminent  danger  to  which  they  ex- 
posed  themselves  by   their   stupidity.     They   heard   nothing  in 
consequence  of  the  violent   noise   they   made.     Seeing  that  by 
i  shouting  I  was  only  splitting  my  skull,  and  that  my   remonstran- 

■      '  ces  were  in  vain,  and  that  this  disorder  was  irremediable,  I  resolv- 

ed to  do  what  was  in  my  power  with  my  men,  and  fire  on  those 
we  could  discover  or  perceive,  yet  the  enemy  profited  by  our  dis- 
order.  They  went  to  the  water  and  discharged  it  in  such  abun- 
dance, that  rivers,  it  may  be  said,  spouted  from  their  gutters,  so 
that  the  fire  was  extinguished  in  less  than  no  time,  and  they  con- 
tinued to  pour  arrows  on  us  like  hail.  Those  on  the  tower  killed 
and  wounded  a  great  many. 

"This  engagement  lasted  about  three  hours.  Two  of  our  chiefs 
and  leaders  were  wounded  ;  to  wit,  one  called  Ochateguain,  the 
other  Orani,  and  about  fifteen  individuals  besides.  The  rest  see- 
ing their  folks  and  some  of  their  chiefs  wounded,  began  to  talk  of 
retreating,  without  fighting  any  more,  expecting  the  five  hundred 
men,  whose  arrival  was  not  far  off  ;  and  so  they  withdrew,  having 
accomplished  nothing  save  this  disorderly  splutter.  However, 
the  chiefs  have  no  absolute  control  of  their  companions,  who  fol- 
low their  whim,  and  act  their  pleasure,  which  is  the  cause  of  their 
disorder  and  ruins  all  their  affairs.  In  having  taken  a  resolution, 
any  poor  devil  can  make  them  violate  it  and  change  their  plan. 
Thus,  the  one  with  the  other,  they  effect  nothing,  as  may  be  seen 
by  this  expedition. 


uiiiai»>'ii*«'<i«n»i-i 


iw?v55sra^s*^»ia4ssesi^ii^--' 


or  all  that, 
TOWS  and 
shots  that 
r  galleries. 

inging  the 
ve  placed 
:11  against 
n  my  opin- 
isable,  for 
line  or  cor- 

inconsid- 
or  to  lee- 
g  kindled, 
lickets,  but 
ood.  The 
that  it  was 
istrated  as 
:h  they  ex- 
nothing  in 
ig  that  by 
ennonstran- 
le,  I  resolv- 

on  those 
by  our  dis- 
uch  abun- 
gutters,  so 
1  they  con- 
ower  killed 

four  chiefs 
;guain,  the 
le  rest  see- 
in  to  talk  of 
ve  hundred 
ew,  having 

However, 
s,  who  fol- 
use  of  their 

resolution, 
their  plan, 
nay  be  seen 


11 

"Having  received  two  wounds  from  arrows,  one  in  the  leg  and 
the  other  in  the  knee,  which  sorely  incommoded  me,  we  withdrew 
into  our  fort.     Being   all   assembled   there,  I  remonstrated  with 
them  several  times  on  account  of  the  disorder  that  had  occurred. 
But  all  my  talk  was  vain ;  they  said  many  of  their  men  had  been 
wounded  and  I  also,  and  that  it  would  be  very  inconvenient  and 
fatiguing  to  carry  them,  on  the  retreat;  that  there  was  no  means 
of  returning  again  to  the  enemy  as  I  had  proposed  to  them  ;  but 
that  they  would  willingly  wait  four  days  more  for  the  five  hun- 
dred  men  that  were  expected,  on  whose  arrival  they  would  renew 
the  effort  against  the  enemy,  and  execute  what  I  had  told  them 
better  than  they  had  already  done.     It  was  necessary  to  stop  there,  _ 
to  my  great  regret. 

"Next  day  blew  a  very  strong  and  violent  wind,  which  lasted  two 
days,  particularly  favorable  for  setting  the  enemy's  fort  in  a  blaze, 
which  I  strongly  urged  on  them.  But  fearing  a  failure,  and  more- 
over  representing  themselves  as  wounded,  they  would  not  do 
anything. 

"We  remained  encamped  until  the  i6th  of  the  month.  Several 
skirmishes  occurred  during  that  time  between  the  enemy  and  our 
people,  who  became  oftenest  engaged  with  them  rather  by  their 
imprudence  than  through  want  of  courage  ;  and  I  can  assure  you, 
that  every  time  they  made  a  charge,  we  were  obliged  to  extricate 
them  from  the  difficulty,  not  being  able  to  extricate  themselves 
except  through  the  help  of  our  arquebuses,  which  the  enemy 
dreaded  and  greatly  feared.  For  as  soon  as  they  perceived  one 
of  our  arquebussiers,  they  immediately  retreated,  telling  us  by  way 
of  persuasion  not  to  meddle  with  their  fights,  and  that  their 
enemies  had  very  little  courage  to  require  our  assistance ;  with 
many  other  such  like  discourses. 

"Seeing  that  the  five  hundred  men  were  not  coming,  they  pro- 
posed  to  depart  and  retreat  at  once,  and  began  to  make  certain 
litters  to  convey  their  wounded,  who  are  put  in  them,  tumbled  in 
a  heap,  doubled  and  strapped  in  such  a  way  that  it  is  impossible 
to  stir;  less  than  an  infant  in  its  swaddling  clothes  ;  not  without 
considerable  pain,  as  I  can  certify,  having  been  carried  several 
days  on  the  back  of  one  of  our  Indians,  thus  tied  and  bound,  so 
that  I  lost  all  patience.  As  soon  as  I  had  strength  to  bear  my 
weight,  I  got  out  of  this  prison,  or,  to  speak  plainer,  out  of  hell. 

"The  enemy  pursued  us  about  the  distance  of  half  a  league^ 
endeavoring  to  catch  some  of  the  rear  guard.  But  their  labor  was 
in  vain  and  they  retired. 


i 


wi««««i>»»siE«s««jBMiH»lia'*W«S«>3^^  '"' 


JH- 


jr|Kri  MJlBTr''"--''^"-^ 


r 


12 

"All  I  remarked  in  their  wars  is,  that  they  retreat  in  good  order  ; 
placing  all  their  wounded  and  old  people  in  the  centre,  they  being 
in  front,  on  the  wings  and  in  the  rear,  well  armed  and  arranged  in 
such  wise  acccording  to  order,  until  they  are  in  a  place  of  safety, 
without  breaking  their  line.  Their  retreat  was  very  tedious,  being 
from  25  to  30  leagues,  which  greatly  fatigued  the  wounded  and 
those  who  carried  them,  though  they  relieved  each  other  from 
time  to  time. 

"On  the  1 8th  of  said  month,  some  snow  fell,  which  melted  rapidly. 
It  was  accompanied  by  a  strong  wind,  which  greatly  annoyed  us. 
Nevertheless,  we  contrived  to  get  to  the  borders  of  the  Lake  of 
,  the  Entouhonorons  and  at  the  place  where  we  had  concealed  our 
canoes,  which  we  found  safe ;  for  we  feared  lest  the  enemy  might 
have  broken  them." 

Accompanying  this  narrative  was  a  drawing  of  the  fort,  and  it 
represents  a  very  extensive  enclosure,  peculiarly  situated.     It  was 
enclosed   by  a  triple  row  of  high  palisades,  and  was  surrounded 
on  three  sides  by  water,  on  the  east  and  west,  if  the  view  is  drawn 
as  facing  north,  one  brook  entering,  and  the  other  coming  from 
the  Pond  (Etang.)  which  is  the  boundary  of  the  work  on  the  third 
or  north  side.     A  considerable  area  is  shown  as  inclosed,  occupied 
by   a  number  of  wigwams  quite  systematically  placed  in  rows. 
Thus  are  presented  some  peculiar  features.     A  slightly  raised 
piece  of  land   with  two  streams  and  a  pond.     The  streams   not 
entering  the  pond  and  leaving  at  the  opposite  end,  as  is  common, 
but  flowing  in  and  out  on  the  same  side  a  few  rods  apart. 
'       The  site  of  this   interesting   fort   has  been  the  cause  of  many 
historical  controversies,  in  which  the  skill  of  guarded  writers  has 
been  enlisted,  but  no  very  definite  conclusions  were  reached  until 
General  Clark,  of  Auburn,  gave  great  attention  to  the  research. 

Very  little  difference  has  been  found  in  the  views  of  various 
writers  in  following  the  path  of  Champlain  and  his  motley  fol- 
lowing  to  Oneida  Lake.  Grossing  the  lower  end  of  Lake  Ontario 
his  descriptions  of  the  distances,  and  of  characteristic  features  of 
the  country,  lead  very  accurately  to  that  lake,  where  the  evidence 
is  made  very  conclusive  by  the  mention  of  islands,  Oneida  being 
the  only  one  of  the  lakes  of  Central  New  York  that  has  islands. 

From  this  point,  Champlain's  march  of  four  leagues  has  been 
made  to  carry  him  to  many  improbable  points,  some  of  them  on 
Canandaigua  Lake,  sixty  miles  to  the  westward  ;  but  at  none  of 
the  points  where  it  was  assumed  that  the  fort  was  situated,  were 


<ltiiiiiiiWiiiiiiiii 


mmtmiDf: 


-•% 


od  order ; 
hey  being 
rranged  in 
of  safety, 
ous,  being 
inded  and 
)ther  from 

sd  rapidly, 
inoyed  us. 
le  Lake  of 
:ealed  our 
:my  might 

fort,  and  it 
:d.  It  was 
surrounded 
:w  is  drawn 
tming  from 
»n  the  third 
i,  occupied 
ed  in  rows, 
htly  raised 
treams  not 
is  common, 
)art. 

ise  of  many 
writers  has 

:ached  until 
research. 

's  of  various 
;  motley  fol- 
ike  Ontario, 
;  features  of 
the  evidence 
)neida  being 
las  islands. 

lies  has  been 
:  of  them  on 
it  at  none  of 
tuated,  were 


18 

the  natural  features  found  to  correspond  to  any  extent  with  the 
peculiar  ones  of  the  French  engineer's  sketch. 

General  Clark,  in  following  out  his  investigations,  concluded 
that  the  fishing  ground,  where  the  captives  were  taken,  was  the 
point  where  the  Chittenango  Creek  enters  Oneida  Lake,  and  set- 
ting here  on  a  map  one  point  of  a  compass  extended  to  the  scale 
of  four  leagues  or  twelve   miles,  he  drew  a  circle,  and  then  pro. 
ceeded  to  examine  all  the  promising  points  that  it  swept  over. 
One  of  the   first   points  visited,  was  Cazenovia;   the  outlet  of 
Lake  Owahgena  being  just  under  the  line  of  the  twelve  mile  radius, 
and  there  being  at  this  place  evidences  of  Indian  occupation,  but 
the  formation  of  the  land  failed  to  correspond  with  expectations 
founded  on  a  reliance  on  Champlain's  exactness  as  a  draughtsman. 
Foiled  here,  but  not  discouraged  in  his  search.  Gen.  Clark  made 
many  inquiries  of  the  writer  with  regard  to  Indian  grounds,  that 
should  be  examined.    One  only  gave  promise  of  realizing  the 
requirements,  without   which   no  spot  would   be  manifestly  the 
place  so  eagerly  sought,  and  that  also  was  intersected  by  the  free 
point  of  the  compass  still  pivoting  on  the  centre  at  Oneida  Lake. 
The  search  was  becoming  very  interesting  indeed,  and  reminded 
us  a  little  of  the  astronomer  that  was  sure,  from  long  study,  that 
a  planet  was   to   be   found  in  a  certain  calculated   orbit,  and  we 
hoped  that  like  him,  events  would  prove  these  expectations  true. 
Inclement  storms  and  a  bitter  winter  prevented  continuing  this 
search  ;  but  in  the  following  summer.  Gen.  Clark  came  again,  and 
we  arranged  to  meet  immediately  on  the  ground  to  be  examined 
to  learn  if  there  wfls  to  be  a  new  disappointment,  or  final  success. 

The  place  was  one  that  had  long  been  recognized  as  a  very 
important  one  in  Indian  times,  and  it  was  roughly  described,  and 
very  erroneously,  in  Schoolcraft's  work  many  years  ago.  It  is  east 
of  Perryville,  9  miles  northeast  of  Cazenovia,  and  near  the  mile 
strip  Four  Corners,  on  a  farm  owned  by  Mr.  Nichols.  Here  the 
writer  formerly  excavated  for  Indian  remains  with  success,  and 
here  Mr.  Frank  H.  Gushing,  when  connected  with  the  Smithsonian, 
unearthed  many  rare  and  interesting  relics,  which  are  now  in  that 
government  collection. 

A  large  part  of  the  area  that  bears  evidence  of  having  been 
included  in  the  Indian  ground,  has  been  cultivated  for  years,  but 
part  remains,  with  venerable  forest  trees  of  great  size.  Where  the 
plow  has  been,  many  bits  of  crockery  and  broken  stone  imple- 
ments  are  found ;  while  in  the  undisturbed  ground  can  be  seen 


■MM 


»m^^ 


i 


14 

marks  where  the  deeply  set  palisades  decayed,  where  graves  were 
dug  and  deep  pits  indicated  that  grain  was  cached  or  stored. 

A  good  deal  of  ground  has  been  dug  over  by  relic  hunters,  who 
for  many  years  have  enriched  their  cabinets  from  this  abundant 
source.  From  high  points  adjacent,  a  wide  view  extends  before 
the  eye,  one  of  very  unusual  extent  and  beauty,  and  a  watch  or 
alarm  fire,  lighted  on  this  commanding  height,  would  be  seen 
from  near  Lake  Ontario  to  the  western  peaks  of  the  Adirondacks, 
and  similar  fires  equally  remote  would  be  plainly  seen  from  these 
overlooking  points.  A  small  pond,  where  the  ancient  water  mark 
was  once  much  higher,  is  fed  by  a  stream  that  enters  and  leaves 
it  on  the  south,  and  a  low  broad  knoll  lies  between  these  brooks. 

Such  briefly  is  a  mention  of  the  place  where  the  writer  met 
Gen.  Clark,  by  appointment,  to  test  its  features  with  Champlain's 
words  and  illustrations. 

The  General  had  reached  there  the  day  before,  and  had  already, 
with  his  fine  engineering  skill,  made  an  accurate  map,  which  so 
fully  corresponded,  even  in  minute  details,  with  his  preconceived 
ideas  of  the  site  of  Champlain's  fight,  that  he  arose  after  a  sleep- 
less night  of  thought,  fully  satisfied  that  after  two  hundred  and 
sixty-two  years  of  concealment,  he  had  brought  to  light  the 
earliest  historic  point  of  Central  New  York.  It  was  with  feelings 
very  deeply  stirred,  that  our  party  went  over  this  ground,  seeing 
the  pond,  the  two  streams,  and  the  low,  wide,  central  ground 
they  surrounded  on  north,  east  and  west,  and  even  the  small  rise 
of  ground  the  old  sketch  shows  beyond  the  east  creek ;  then 
traced  the  palisade  line  and  found  beyond  its  limit  many  graves, 
perchance  of  savages  that  fell  before  the  first  shots  fired  among 
these  hills,  while  defending  their  home.  It  was  strange  to  realize 
that  probably  we  were  the  first  to  recognize  that  this  was  the 
point  where  one  of  the  movements  was  made  of  the  long  and 
bloody  series  that  embraced  the  struggles  of  Indians,  French, 
English  and  Dutch  to  possess  these  hills  that  command  to-day 
the  main  strategic  points  of  the  north. 

Not  uncontested  does  Gen.  Clark  find  his  views,  but  they  are 
likely  to  be  fully  confirmed.  He  did  not  find  a  place  as  other 
explorers  did,  and  bend  all  the  record  to  it,  but  he  took  Cham- 
plain's story  in  the  original,  made  his  own  severe  translations, 
>  and  with  all  firmly  in  his  mind,  discarded  all  and  every  place, 
without  regard  to  its  claims,  until  here  he  found  a  full  realization 
of  his  faith  in  a  locality  that  not  only  fits,  but  confirms  Cham- 
plain's  long  disputed  narrative. 


raves  were 
ored. 

nters,  who 
abundant 
nds  before 
1  watch  or 
Id  be  seen 
irondacks, 
'rem  these 
/ater  mark 
ind  leaves 
se  brooks. 

/riter  met 
lamplain's 

,d  already, 
,  which  so 
conceived 
er  a  sleep- 
ndred  and 

light  the 
th  feelings 
nd,  seeing 
ral  ground 

small  rise 
reek ;  then 
ny  graves, 
ed  among 
:  to  realize 
lis  was  the 
e  long  and 
IS,  French, 
ind  to-day 

t  they  are 
:e  as  other 
}ok  Cham- 
anslations, 
/ery  place, 
realization 
ms  Cham- 


15 

So  many  features  of  this  place  meet  and  coincide  with  all  that 
comes  from  authentic  sources  of  information,  regarding  Cham- 
plain's  former  expeditions,  that  they  cannot  be  deemed  simple 
coincidences  or  accidental.  The  Indian  occupation  was  evidently 
fully  as  ancient  as  the  period  of  his  invasion,  for  the  large  trees 
that  still  occupy  part  of  the  place  are  silent  but  incontestible 
witnesses  that  testify  to  not  less  than  two  centuries  of  undisturbed 
growth ;  and  unlike  many  other  Indian  works,  these  are  free  from 
any  evidences  of  early  communication  with  trappers  or  mission- 
aries. There  are  not  found  here  the  beads,  medals  or  Jesuit 
tokens  that  are  common  in  places  that  were  occupied  when  the 
devoted  priests  and  adventurous  traders  brought  such  things  to 
dazzle  and  tempt  the  savages,  then  so  eager  to  meet  them  and 
learn  the  mysteries  the  whites  were  masters  of. 

Indeed,  no  change  or  adaptation  is  called  for  in  Champlain's 
narrative,  or  in  his  sketch  of  the  spot,  to  fit  both  to  this  hill  top 
pond :  and  although  there  are  many  ready  pens  disputing  this 
long  delayed  discovery,  there  is  every  reason  to  feel  assured  that 
discussion  will  only  eventually  confirm  the  work  that  connects 
the  story  of  1615  with  one  of  our  most  commanding  summits. 

As  it  has  been  stated,  with  the  exception  of  water  in  the  form 
of  a  lake  or  pond,  no  features  of  Canandaigua  or  Onondaga  Lakes 
are  described  that  establish  for  points  on  their  margins  any 
especial  claim  to  represent  the  form  of  ground  that  is  shown  in 
Champlain's  drawing,  and  consequently  this  sketch  has  been 
regarded  as  largely  fanciful ;  but  so  accurately  did  the  French 
commander  describe  the  low  level  borders  of  Ontario,  the  sandy 
plains  covered  with  chestnut  trees,  and  the  rivers  and  ponds  lying 
between  his  landing  place  on  Ontario  and  his  camp  in  sight  of  the 
beautiful  islands,  that  his  observations  cannot  be  regarded  lightly. 
Indeed,  so  little  has  before  been  found  to  confirm  his  sketch, 
that  facts  have  been  about  even  as  between  the  points  assumed 
as  the  site  of  the  fort,  but  now  this  is  all  changed  ;  for  just  at  the 
proper  distance  from  his  camp  by  the  islands,  a  large  and  impor- 
tant Indian  work  has  been  found,  and  when  an  eye  trained  in 
antiquarian  research  falls  upon  it,  it  sees  that  the  palisaded  work, 
if  it  could  be  restored  from  the  mould  of  nearly  three  centuries, 
would  fit  it  like  hand  and  glove,  even  to  the  small  knolls  and 
winding  streams. 

With  Champlain's  retreat  ended  the  first  French  foray.  Had 
their  arms  gained  and  maintained  so  strong  a  point  at  that  early 
day,  many  pages  of  our  history  might   tell  a  different  tale,  and 


possibly  we  might  read  it  all  in  French,  for  it  was  a  long  contest 
with  nearly  even  chances  that  alone  determined  the  French  or 
English  domination  in  the  lake  country  of  New  York. 

The  St.  Lawrence,  the  valley  of  the  Mohawk,  Oneida  and  On- 
ondaga Lakes,  and  the  Oswego  River  have  all  been  frequent  war- 
paths from  the  unrecorded  days  when  scalps  .were  taken  by  rival 
savage  warriors,  and  now  it  seems  that  one  of  the  earliest  incur- 
sions of  the  present  ruling  race,  was  met  and  defeated  on  one  of 
our  highest  and  most  commanding  points,  where,  long  ago,  the 
silent  forest  crept  over  the  blood-stained  grounds,  and  the  autumn 
leaves  of  many  years  fell  quietly  on  the  spot,  while  the  same  con- 
test was  swaying  here  and  there,  often  on  the  plain  that  is  over- 
looked from  the  points  whence  Champlain  first  saw  the  Indian 
stronghold. 

Here  under  the  renewed  forest,  the  secret  lay  hidden  for  two 
hundred  and  sixty-two  years,  at  last  to  be  discovered  ;  and  the  old 
story  is  brought  from  the  archives  of  France  to  rest  on  a  quiet 
pond,  where  herons  have  stood  undisturbed,  and  none  have 
dreamed  that  a  war  cry  ever  arose  in  the  solitude. 


f: 


I 


ng  contest 
French  or 

la  and  On- 
quent  war- 
:n  by  rival 
liest  incur- 
on  one  of 
g  ago,  the 
ie  autumn 
same  con- 
at  is  over- 
:he  Indian 

;n  for  two 
nd  the  old 
on  a  quiet 
lone  have 


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